tigerinexile

tigerinexile

65p

262 comments posted · 3 followers · following 0

14 years ago @ Macleans.ca - Harper’s hard right ... · 0 replies · +1 points

Whatever. Brooks was one of the "conservatives" who fell for Obama, and is now watching his hopes implode. (Obama may yet be re-elected, but not as the temperamentally 'conservative' Burkean sort that Brooks thought he saw.)

He has nothing to contribute to the American political right.

Note that Cameron has now run into problems in Britain, too... I mean, if you're a libertarianish sort who loved Margaret Thatcher, why on earth would you vote for him? (Hatred of Labour, and a desire to see them out. That's the only reason not to vote UKIP and stay with the Tories.)

14 years ago @ Macleans.ca - Harper’s hard right ... · 0 replies · 0 points

I was wondering which old speech of Harper's it was that Wells was looking at -- that one, about the coalition between classical liberalism and classical conservatism, is a good one.

It's an approach -- the nods to non-state organizations, etc. -- that both sides can appreciate, compared to the approach preferred by the Liberals when they are in power.

And it is a path to a more durable coalition that can win electoral majorities. It isn't one that necessarily _will_, but it's one that may, over the longer run.

14 years ago @ Macleans.ca - Owning the photo op (IV) · 0 replies · +1 points

Oh, I couldn't resist.

There are ever so many artists and actors I like who are lefties, and I don't hold their politics against them. So I enjoy seeing a few on the right side of the spectrum.

14 years ago @ Macleans.ca - Owning the photo op (IV) · 3 replies · +3 points

Well, actually, now that you mention it:
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNe...

:p

14 years ago @ Macleans.ca - Closing Ceremonies: Th... · 0 replies · +1 points

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WsZL-OcPKgM

Other interesting point: the lyrics were all written by the same guy -- the original Stalinist lyrics, the Brezhnev ones that purged Stalin, and the final ones about Russia and not the Soviet Union, once Putin restored the anthem. (The father of director Nikita Mikhalkov.)

14 years ago @ Macleans.ca - Presented without gloa... · 0 replies · +1 points

Incidentally, the "We suck at these Olympics in general" option is over 50% right now, at 51.9%, followed by "The Canadians were stronger" at 26.9%, "Ham" at 14.4%, and "Bad luck" at 6.7%.

14 years ago @ Macleans.ca - Presented without gloa... · 1 reply · +1 points

"Why did we lose to the Canadians?

"- We played badly [That's "plokho igrali"]
"- Bad luck
"- The Canadians were stronger
"- We are failing at the whole Olympics in general"

But I think bad ham would be a less embarrassing excuse -- "Yeah, we all had food poisoning!"

14 years ago @ Macleans.ca - Owning a general sense... · 1 reply · +1 points

Wasn't Canada third in Turin?

But that counts as part of the program, anyway -- ramping up began in 2005:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Own_the_Podium_%E2%8...

I think it still counts as a success, compared to where Canada was before...

14 years ago @ Macleans.ca - Owning a general sense... · 0 replies · +1 points

Actually, it goes back to 2005:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Own_the_Podium_%E2%8...

"Own the Podium - 2010, or À nous le podium en 2010! in French, is a Canadian sport technical program launched in January 2005 to prepare Canada to become the top winter sporting nation in the world by 2010 — when Canada would host the Winter Olympics. This achievement would be measured by whether Canada becomes the top medal-winning nation at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver and Whistler, and places in the top three at the 2010 Paralympics Winter Games. To achieve the goals of 2010, the focus of the program was to provide additional resources and high performance programming to Canadian athletes, coaches and support personnel. The programme CEO is Roger Jackson[1]."

It was a good idea -- it got Canada to third overall in Turin, and although it looks like it'll probably fall short in Vancouver, Canadians are winning a lot more medals than they used to...

14 years ago @ Macleans.ca - The invisible generation · 0 replies · +1 points

Personally, I prefer that other people choose not to vote -- makes my vote more powerful.

Don't support not voting, and I encourage all friends and family to exercise their franchise -- even when (as is usually the case) they aren't on my side, politically -- but if people will insist on being so lazy that they can't haul themselves to their local old folks' home or high school gymnasium once every two or three years (depending on how the provincial and federal election cycles sync up), that's their own darned fault. And I won't feel sorry for them -- they had their chance.